by Amiran Lomtadze (Staatliche Ilia Tschawtschawadze Universität für Sprache und Kultur, Tbilissi),
Manana Tabidze (Staatliche Ilia Tschawtschawadze Universität für Sprache und Kultur, Tbilissi)
and Revaz Scherozia (Staatliche Ilia Tschawtschawadze Universität für Sprache und Kultur, Tbilissi)
The historical development of the Georgian language is quite long and varied It is conditioned by the language contacts, demographic changes of the population, the specifics of the state borders and the socio-political situation. The language development of the country was determined by the objective political, social and cultural environment. On the other hand, it was defined by the state’s internal, subjective language policy and the external (due to the political and economic interests of other countries, in this or that century), oppressive language policy. All of these processes, which are in themselves quite interesting from the perspective of history, psychology, ethnography, anthropology and sociology, became the object of investigation by Linguistics and in particular by its new branch, called Sociolinguistics, which helps us to determine the general and proper principles for the development of the language. Due to the intensive language contacts and unstable lingual-ecological situation, the language often encounters excessive interference, borrowing, syntactic-stylistic, terminological subordination and bi/multilingual, dialectical (among them sociolectical) differentiation, close to the borderline situations of the language differentiation. It often meets specific problems, while dealing with relations with the minor or major languages. Usually it is necessary to determine its creative and communicative functions as well as its rights for educational and scientific-technical progress. The Georgian language (like many other languages) has overcome this, and many other stages, both impulsively (subconsciously) and orderly (under control), according to its historical situation. A special survey would help us to go deeply into the internal and „external“ structure of the language (here, of Georgian) development. We would understand the whole potential of protecting the language, so that we could undertake the proper „prophylactic“ activities for guarding the vitality and purity of the language.
The process of understanding the normalization of literary Georgian and the psychology of the common Kartvelian language dates back to the ancient period. This is particularly evident in the monastery schools (Arn. Chikobava, 1998), where the rules for language norms, translation, terminology and scientific language (generally, for the functional styles) were being developed (see G. Kvaratskhelia, 1990, D. Melikishvili, 1975). It was a result of the Georgian state (and church) policy that during the process of dividing the territory in the counties and expanding other states, literary Georgian remained the language of the church and of literature throughout the Kartvelian area. (Let us remember the well-known phrase from the life of Grigol Khantsteli “ … Georgia is the country where the liturgy is offered in Georgian“ ).
The process of building Georgian statehood is accompanied by the development of literary Georgian and educational institutions (David the Builder, Queen Tamar, rustaveli).
The critical period of the Georgian state has apparently influenced the language sphere as well, but the King’s authority was directed to the following matters: to determine the areas where the Georgian language was used and to improve the educational, dictionary, translation and scientific activities. (Vakhtang VI, Sulkhan-Saba Orbeliani).
The collapse of Georgian statehood in 1801 determined the fate of the Georgian language by introducing a language policy favoring Russian, which, of course, caused disastrous results. (The Russian authority banned the liturgy in Georgian, the lessons at schools had to be delivered in Russian , the censorship severely combated national ambitions. These measures provoked the Georgians into ethnic and national conflicts, usually over language concerns. In response to the Russian language policy, Georgians launched another „policy“, maintaining the interests of the Georgian language (Ilia Chavchacadze, Akaki Tsereteli, Vaja Pshavela). Discussions about language were held („The Fight between Fathers And Sons“), the society for extending Georgian reading and writing was established and the Georgian periodicity became more progressive.
In the 20th century, after the 1917 October Socialistic Revolution, the Georgian independent state expanded the activities for the protection and development of the Georgian language (Tbilisi State University and other educational institutions were established, special commissions were founded for protecting the purity of the Georgian language and working on the terminology).
In 1921, when Russia annexed and occupied Georgia, the Georgian language again became dependent on the Russian language policy. The Russian policy of assimilation was intended to weaken the factors determining Georgian nationality and to „russianize“ the community.
The Georgian territory and its South-Western part was settled by the related Kartvelian tribes during the ancient period, and the Georgian people were developed as a result of the long relations and integration. The development of the material culture and the social differentiation of the related tribes facilitated the establishment of the Georgian states in the 6th-7th centuries. This political consolidation accelerated the process of bringing the tribes together and forming the Georgian community. The important factors for creating the common material and spiritual culture were the extension of the Georgian writing, the announcement of Christianity as a state religion in the 4th century and after that the foundation of a common feudal state by uniting all Georgian counties.
The creation of a centralized state influenced positively the process of population growth. According to the data of the experts, the population of feudal Georgia at the height of its development (12-13th centuries.) was approximately 5 million.
The historical situation of the medieval period and the process of foreign immigration in the 19th-20th centuries caused the ethnic variety of the Georgian population. The migrations were conditioned by the historical processes. After the weakening of the Georgian state, the neighboring coastal tribes began to settle on Georgian territory. Sometimes they assimilated, and quite often they founded the densely populated settlements.
The rich historical material helps us to observe the changes in the quantity and quality of the population in Georgia. We may determine the social nature of the structure and peculiarities of the modern Georgian community.
Nowadays, since we have many instances of (and unfortunate results as well) manipulations of the language policy, it is necessary not only to work on the interesting materials, shared by the sociolinguistic and linguistic scientific societies, but to broadcast the development of the language policy in certain regions as well. One of the essential steps in this direction is to learn and understand the already „created“ and investigated instances.
The geographical situation of Georgia greatly influenced the country’s political fate and determined the process of establishing the Georgian nation and the way that the Georgian language developed.
There are many concepts concerning the notion of culture, and the variety of these views is influenced by the contemporary global economic processes, greater mobility and new technologies for communication in the modern world. The spread of culture beyond national borders, however, demands a reexamination of the importance not only of the place where this change takes place, but also of the process, by which it happens. The intermixing of peoples and the intermingling of information and values, result in swift and serious cultural changes. National cultures, which seem rather steady, discrete, synchronous and unique are becoming more and more dependent, fragmented and amorphic. If the form of the culture becomes more often inclined to the global mainstream rather than to its own tradition, then it is necessary to reexamine the cultural practices, we have known up to now.
a) The rules expressing the national status of the Georgian language are established in all of the historical sources and indicate the existence of a fixed language policy in the Georgia past:
1.The national role of the Georgian language and its importance for the unity of the country.
The expansion of the Georgian language over the Georgian territory or throughout the settlements of the Georgian tribes, is considered by the author to be the essential proof of the statehood of the country; That is why the „spread“ of Georgian by Parnavazi is important both in the 11th century (according to „The Life of Kartli“) and in the 18th century, according to the „Description of the Georgian Kingdom“ by Vakhushti Batonishvili (the famous words by Leonti Mroveli about Parnavazi are sincere: „85he spread the Georgian language, and no other language was used in Kartli, but only Georgian. He developed the Georgian written language („Life of Kartli“, vol. 1, Tbilisi, Saxelgami, 1995, 26, 8-10);
2. The Georgian language as one of the aspects of Georgian national self-consciousness (the discussion by Vakhushti Bagrationi can be offered as a proof of this. It is written there that to the questions: where do you come from? Which language (spoken and written) do you know? Who created this cathedral, icon or other valuable things? – Georgian (Imerian, Meskhian, Her-Kakhian) would answer Georgia, Georgian (Vakhushti Batonishvili,1973,292);
The Georgian language was one of the important signs of the Georgians‘ ethnic similarity and the main differentiating marker for other ethnic groups. Two types of judgment on the knowledge and nationality of the Georgian language can be given: 1. The person who knows Georgian is Georgian. 2. The person who does not know Georgian (or for whom Georgian is not the native language), is not Georgian. Note that the knowledge of Georgian means knowledge of written Georgian, „folk“ Georgian and „poor“ Georgian as well (the term for Mingrelian, given by Vakhushti)*
3. The concern for the development of the Georgian language: translation activities:
In the written sources the Georgian language is considered to be not only the language for communications among Georgians, but also the vital, developing and pure language, which is inclined to everlasting perfection. This language is nurtured by divine mercy, literature, science and translation. We will provide some examples.
The 16th-century Georgian medical monument „Iadigar Daud“ was created on the basis of books translated from Persian and of Georgian medical knowledge. The author, David Bagrationi (King of Georgia in 1569-1578), mentions in the preface that not having such wonderful book for medical treatment in Georgian means rejecting mercy. In „Life of Kartli“ the activities and the life of the great translators are considered nearly the epochal markers, preserving the periods (for example, „they were the contemporary translators of that period). In ancient sources the following qualities are considered to be the merits of the translators and measure of their work:
Spiritual and intellectual education of the translator, and his „enlightening“ of the Georgian language. (See „The Life and Work of the Reverend Father of Ours“, Ilarion Kartveli, 1960, 294.)
Choice of contemporary literature for the spiritual progress of the nation and translating it faithfully („The Giorgi Clergyman, the Life of the Reverend Father of Ours“, John and Eptime, 1960, 308)
Having translating skills.
To work for the perfection of the national language through the translations. („The Life and work of The Reverend Father of Ours“, Giorgi Mtatsmindeli, 1960, 342)
*V. Boeder provides a German example of this: „Vakhushti thinks: „85 though the Mingrelians have their own language, Mingrelian is rather similar to its „prototype“, standard Georgian, therefore it can be called Georgian or „poor“ Georgian (this is quite an intolerable interpretation for linguists, but not so unnatural as, for instance, considering the Bavarian language as the wrong standard German). (Vinfrid Boeder, The language and origin across Georgian history, The structural issues of the Kartvelian languages, VII, 1998, p.76).
To enrich the vocabulary, to go deeply into the semantic capability of the language material. (It is noted in this text that he, with his pure sense, accomplished perfectly the translation of texts which had been translated in earlier times but transposed in an improper way or changed dishonestly by some naive and illiterate persons), to overcome the problem of lexical deficiency (p.369).
B7 To have the inclination to appreciate the advantages of others and sharing them with his fellows. (Teomuraz I: “ A man should see the positives of others and share them“).
4. Georgian – the language for all inhabitants of Georgia.
5. According to hagiography, converting to Christianity was possible for foreigners by becoming Georgian, as they could learn about Christianity through Georgian spiritual literature. These two facts (Christianity and knowledge of Georgian) sufficed for the Georgian to consider this or that person as a Georgian. Note that the religious difference alone was enough to consider a person as a non-Georgian (for example, calling the Gregorian Georgians – the Armenians or the Catholic Georgians – the French.
6. The judgment of mixing various ethnic particularities and the broadening of ethnic and language contacts by Georgian authors (for example, it was said about John Atoneli that he was looking for the Georgians in Spain) („The Giorgi Clergyman, the Life of the Reverend Father of Ours“, John and Eptime, 1960, 303)
We can see from this extract that though the Georgians want to determine and preserve their own ethnic individuality, they also have a great wish to find „their blood“, their relatives in the human environment. And they are looking for and finding such relatives not only among the Caucasian tribes, but in distant places as well. In addition to this example, we can also provide several discussions about the survey of related languages and ethnic groups. For example, from the 19th- century writings of famous Georgians or from the results of scientific research (historical and philological sciences are meant).
A social approach to foreign or unacceptable speech is found in folk poetry: „Do not invite the Bodakhevians.
They will bring a dog tongue with them“.
(„The Wedding of the Giants“, Georgian Poetry vol. 17, folk poetry, p. 16).
7. Messianic perception of the Georgian language (it can be interpreted socioliguistically as well; such as: „Byzantine, a new Rome“, “ Russia is the third Rome, the fourth will never be“, in praise to Gelati: „New Rome, they say that you are superior to all existing things, and I long for Ellad – that Gelati, where the ghosts of the saints will be buried“ etcetera.)
„In praise of the Georgian language“ by John Zosimei. (10th century) emphasized some issues from a sociolinguistic point of view: a) The messianistic power of the Georgian language; b) the small area where the language is used and its potential for international activity; c) The spiritual mission of the Georgian language; the conception of the language’s immortality; e) Regard for the fate of other languages; f) About the Georgian written language.
This issue was discussed in special literature several times. * Opinions about this text vary greatly, and it is not a matter for our discussion here. The duration and fervency of the text are worthy of being judged from the socioliguistic point of view. It indicates the ardent interest of society in the language, as one of the main aspects of ethnic identification and the most important guarantee for maintaining national particularities of the linguistic, ethnic and Christian aspects of the Georgian language. When the language is interpreted as a tribe or an ethnic group, the Georgian alphabet definitely leaves us within the language area *.
8. Georgian – The Sign of Identity for Georgians Living Abroad
Some materials have been found in historical sources which make it possible to talk about the language orientation of those Georgians who found themselves in a foreign-language (and ethnic) atmosphere in the historical past (V. Boeder 1998, 64). For Georgians abroad the ethnic unity and idiosyncrasy are the source of organization and the belief in their own power (the Georgian Monastery in Bulgaria and its charter, 1971, p. 62.)
9. The signs of identification of the Georgians as foreigners in historical sources:
They are good fighters belonging to Asia, belonging to Europe, but from the standpoint of language they are similar to nobody, they are inclined to maintain their particularity (see Apiane 2nd century) („The History of the Wars of Mithridate“, state publishing house „Soviet Georgia“, Tbilisi, 1959, p. 59).
10. Georgians‘ attitude towards foreign languages: We may say that Georgians considered the learning of foreign languages (with the sciences) as a great honor, which they stressed as one of the positive feature, when characterizing this or that person. (Remember „The Life of Grigol Khandzteli“ and other reverend fathers.)
*T.Aldamadze, Ak.Bakradze, V.Boeder, M.Brosse, Z.Gamsakhurdia, T.Gamkrelidze, R.Gordeziani, K.Danelia, P.Pataradze, Z.Sarjveladze, R.siradze, T.Putkaradze, T.Chkhenkeli, and others.
*R.Siradze „The Life Saint Nino“ and The Beginning of Georgian Higiography, Tbilisi, 1997,196).
Sometimes „the keenness“ towards foreign languages goes so far that it works to the detriment of the native language:
„The sweet tones of Persian
Arose a desire for music in me
Georgian is rather hard, I don’t want to tell anything in it. (Teomuraz I)
11. The concern for developing a literary (standard) Georgian by the Georgian politicians, writers and state persons.
One tendency should be noted with respect to this issue. It concerns a little change in the literary (standard) language. during its lengthy development. This tendency does not occur in the development of those literary languages which have long historic-cultural traditions, and it can be regarded as a sheer individual feature of literary Georgian. The Georgian investigators started studying the language from 5th-century written sources. According to this study, it is doubtless that the terms „old“, „middle“ and „new“ Georgian can be more useful for expressing the social development and the change of the language than for the structure. The specialists declare that that Georgian which belongs to the „old“ centuries, according to the chronology, is already fixed as an obviously formalized language in the ancient sources and still maintains the direct line of that norm. Regardless of the stream of innovation in the language, Georgians are not limited to using the literary-historical materials of the previous stages without obstacle.